Seated travelers in a wide range of transportation systems including inter alia airplanes, trains, buses, and the like, tend to fall asleep during long journeys. The seating arrangements in most transportation systems do not allow a full horizontal position and therefore the seated passenger has to sleep in a seated position. Many seated travelers complain of bad sleeping posture while sitting and neck pains due to lack of support for their heads.
Travel sleeping aids can be generally classified into two categories: First so-called body worn travel sleeping aids in the form of inflatable travel pillows, non-inflatable travel pillows, head or neck restraining arrangements, and the like. And second, so-called body support travel sleeping aids intended to be supported or suspended from a travel sleeping aid support.
Exemplary body worn travel sleeping aids are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,349 to Silver et al., US Patent Application Publication No. US 2013/0125312 A1 entitled Combined Travel Neck Pillow with an Attached Hood Assembly, and US Patent Application Publication No. US 2014/0310877 A1 entitled Travel Pillow with Lateral and Rear Support Bar and a Flat and Thin Back.
Exemplary body support travel sleeping aids are disclosed in:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,192 to King discloses a travel pillow and an alternate embodiment with mounting brackets for attachment to a car seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,431 to Splane, Jr. discloses an angle adjustable tabletop personal support apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,364,129 to Levari, Jr. discloses a collapsible stand to be placed on a horizontal support surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,748,064 to Hamilton diseases a personal seated resting support for supporting portions of a resting person in a forward leaning seated position.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,011,731 to Goddu discloses a collapsible tabletop head cradle for seated users.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,528,978 to Edalati et al. discloses three embodiments of a multi-adjustable body rest apparatus. FIG. 1 shows a body rest apparatus built-in to the back of a passenger seat. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a body rest apparatus for placing on an open foldout table built in to the back of a passenger seat. FIGS. 4 and 5 show a body rest apparatus for hooking onto the headrest of a passenger seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,528,978 to Purpura et al. discloses a transport vehicle back seat with integrated upright sleep support system.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,985,693 to Purpura et al. discloses a transport vehicle upright sleep support system.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,150,130 to Jackow discloses a portable head rest.